Islamic State’s oil traded in regime areas as Homs Refinery cuts production

Reporting by Maher Radhwan; Translation by Yusra Ahmed

(Zaman Al Wasl)- Homs’s refinery works at only 2.5% of its capacity with 9 barrels a day barrels since it used to produce 385 barrels due to the difficulties resulted of Syrian conflict, sources said.

 Experts in the refinery revealed to Zaman al-Wasl that all oil refined is imported and transported from the coastal region via trucks, which is difficult and expensive procedure.

“The refining processes are these says done in a closed circle, aiming only to keep the machines work, otherwise, oil residuals would stick to machines and permanently damage them”, Abo Ahmad, a former employee in the refinery explained.

Sources confirmed that 95% of the refined fuel goes to the regime vehicles and tanks.

In a relevant content, petrol produced in the Eastern region by the Islamic State has become very well known and traded in Idlib’s, Hama’s and Homs’s countryside because of the low prices compared to that produced by the regime.

“The Islamic State’s barrel is sold for 19 thousand Syrian pounds, while the regime’s for 45 thousand” sources reported.

Reports reached to Zaman al-Wasl revealed that traders transfer oil from the primitive refineries in the Islamic States areas in Eastern Syria in barrels carried on trucks via special routes to reach to Hama’s and Idlib’s countryside to then transported to Homs’ Northern countryside and Hama’s Western Countryside ending in Misiaf, the regime’s loyal town where the oil is sold for only 190 Syrian pounds for a litre, which is far cheaper than the regime’s prices.